CHULA VISTA—
A Chula Vista police officer arrested for allegedly heating at blackjack at the Sycuan Casino was free on bail today and on unpaid leave from the department."We are taking away his peace officer powers," Chula Vista police Chief David Bejarano said Friday. "We will take his gun and badge."
Salazar already was facing a drunken driving charge in connection with an April 9 arrest at the casino. Police told The San Diego Union-Tribune a tribal police officer saw him run into a stop sign as he was arriving in the casino garage about 1:30 a.m. He was turned over to the California Highway and arraigned May 20, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Salazar was allegedly caught ``capping,'' or surreptitiously adding chips to a winning wager after a round of play is complete.
A spokesman for the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Nation told the Union-Tribune Salazar, who was with his mother and girlfriend, spent at least two and a half hours in the casino late Thursday and about half an hour at a Blackjack table.
"The suspect capped his bet three times and on his fourth attempt, the dealer notified gaming commissioners," Adam Day, assistant tribal manager, told the newspaper.
Salazar got a safe-driving award from the department in 2006, according to the Chula Vista police website.
